News | Entertainment
23 Jan 2026 5:29
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Sean 'Diddy' Combs has filed an emergency motion to challenge an order to pay $100 million to man he insisted he has never met

    The 54-year-old rapper failed to attend a virtual hearing on Monday (09.09.24) in connection to Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith's sexual assault lawsuit against him and so Judge Anna Marie Anzalone awarded the default judgment in Lenawee County Circuit Court, but the 'I'll Be Missing You' hitmaker's legal team have now challenged the ruling.


    According to court documents obtained by People magazine, Diddy's attorneys argued his accuser - a "convicted felon who is serving time in prison for kidnapping and sexual assault" - has frequently filed "frivolous" claims in the past and his allegation of being sexually assaulted in 1997 is "objectively unbelievable".

    And they insisted many of Derrick's claims, such as that he invested $150,000 for 49% of Diddy's net worth, are fabricated, implausible, and full of "inconsistencies and fantastical claims".

    Marc Agnifilo, an attorney for the Bad Boy Records founder, said in a statement: "This man is a convicted felon and sexual predator, who has been sentenced on 14 counts of sexual assault and kidnapping over the last 26 years.

    "His resume now includes committing a fraud on the court from prison, as Mr. Combs has never heard of him let alone been served with any lawsuit. Mr. Combs looks forward to having this judgment swiftly dismissed."

    In addition, the lawyers argued Diddy wasn't properly served in the lawsuit, so the judgement is invalid.

    They claimed their famous client was unaware of the suit until the news about the default judgement was reported in the media, and insisted any delay in his response was unintentional as he quickly filed the motion to vacate once he was made aware.

    The motion branded the $100 million award "extraordinary and incompatible with any possible measure of actual damages even if every (facially implausible) allegation in the Complaint were true" as Combs "did not receive notice of the lawsuit" until Monday.

    And they noted even if the claims were true, the statute of limitations ended in 2007 so they should have been dismissed.

    Furthermore, Diddy filed a motion to dissolve a temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunction, which had been granted in August.

    In his lawsuit, the accuser alleged he had met the 'Finna Get Loose' hitmaker - who is facing a string of sexual assault and trafficking cases - in 1997 during an afterparty at a Detroit Holiday Inn. He claimed they got a private room with two women and Diddy groped his buttocks while Derrick was having sex with one of their female companions. He also accused the rapper of drugging and sexually assaulting him.

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     22 Jan: Valentino has died at the age of 93
     22 Jan: Lily Allen is "happy to be alive" after a lorry ran her new Porsche "off the road"
     22 Jan: Valerie Bertinelli claims she was "fired" as a spokesperson for a diet company because she gained weight
     22 Jan: Stellan Skarsgard has branded Donald Trump a "little man who got megalomania"
     22 Jan: Chris Pratt has admitted he won't keep the giant painting of his father-in-law Arnold Schwarzenegger on the wall all year round
     22 Jan: Drew Starkey has been appointed brand ambassador for Dior
     22 Jan: Noel Gallagher's daughter Anais is convinced her dad has a secret stash of fashion gems and she's determined to "find it and raid it"
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Former All Black Tony Brown has confirmed he intends to honour his contract as an assistant with South Africa, rather than make himself available for inclusion in any New Zealand coaching group More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    It's thought a shift in how young people invest - is altering the housing market More...



     Today's News

    Politics:
    Prime Minister Chris Luxon says the weather events of the past 48 hours have been a profound tragedy 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Valentino has died at the age of 93 21:40

    Accident and Emergency:
    Two bodies have been found at a house on Papamoa's Welcome Bay Road - after a large landslide caused extensive damage early this morning 21:17

    Entertainment:
    Lily Allen is "happy to be alive" after a lorry ran her new Porsche "off the road" 21:10

    Auckland:
    What we know about the landslide at Mount Maunganui in New Zealand 21:07

    Environment:
    Young girl among missing campers at New Zealand's Mount Maunganui after landslide — as it happened 20:47

    Entertainment:
    Valerie Bertinelli claims she was "fired" as a spokesperson for a diet company because she gained weight 20:40

    Entertainment:
    Stellan Skarsgard has branded Donald Trump a "little man who got megalomania" 20:10

    Entertainment:
    Chris Pratt has admitted he won't keep the giant painting of his father-in-law Arnold Schwarzenegger on the wall all year round 19:40

    Entertainment:
    Drew Starkey has been appointed brand ambassador for Dior 19:10


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd